- Doctors allegedly operated on patient’s right leg while the left one was broken

VIKASH SHARMA

SBC Medical College and Hospital. (above) Julie Behera, the patient at the hospital. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Jan. 11: Family members of a patient at SCB Medical College and Hospital have alleged wrong treatment by doctors at the orthopaedic department.

Julie Behera (23), who hails from Dhenkanal district’s Bhuban area, was injured in a road accident yesterday. Her family members immediately rushed her to the casualty ward at SCB Medical College and Hospital and later she was shifted to the orthopaedic ward.

The doctors operated on her right leg while she had sustained a fracture in her left leg, alleged family members. “We were initially told that she (Julie) had sustained a fracture in her left leg. On the advise of doctors, we conducted an X-ray and other tests. Later, they performed a surgery on her left instead of the right leg,” said Julie’s brother Sachidananda Behera.

“After few hours, the doctors again came to the ward and saw the report and realised that they have operated on the wrong leg. They then again conducted a similar surgery on the right leg,” Behera added.

“Whatever has happened was wrong. Now it is the duty of the medical staff to ensure that our daughter gets the right treatment,” said another family member.

SCB Medical College and Hospital authorities, on the other hand, denied the allegation levelled against them by the patient’s family members. “The allegation levelled by the family members and certain media reports are completely baseless. First of all, no surgery was performed. The patient has suffered multiple fractures, including one in the pelvis on both sides,” said emergency officer B. Moharana.

“After initial treatment, doctors felt the need of a bilateral traction and hence it was made in the left leg first. But as the pain did not subside, the traction was removed from the left leg and a similar traction was made in the right leg, which is scientifically right,” Moharana added.

Professor R.N. Jee also echoed similar views. “There is no truth in the allegation as no surgery was performed. Only a traction was made as the patient had suffered fractures in both legs,” he said.

This is not for the first time that the SCB Medical College and Hospital is in news for wrong reasons. In December, a woman had died after she allegedly failed to get medical attention on time in December. The deceased, identified as Jyotsna Rani Mohanty (50) of Sutahat area, had sustained severe burn injuries. She was brought to the hospital by a patrolling van of the Choudhury Bazar police station around 10.30am on December 5. Unable to get her admitted to the casualty ward, the patrolling party left her in front of the outdoor ward. The woman was allegedly lying unattended on the sewerage tank near the OPD ward for nearly six hours. Only after the intervention of NGO members, the woman was admitted to the casualty ward.